Swords Clashed, Paths Crossed
by MariYoshBowsFan
Summary: Fire Emblem story with original characters. Experimental and any reviews are appreciated! (Rated Teen for cursing)
1. Prologue: Forgotten Past and New Future

This is my first time writing a Fire Emblem story, so bear with me. At the time of writing this, I am accepting applications for characters (preferably one submission per person, if interested), but this is subject to change.

In any case, enjoy the show.

* * *

Swords Clashed, Paths Crossed

Prologue: Forgotten Past and New Future

The past was behind me and I had no interest in seeking out the truth. I didn't wish to find out who my true identity was and who my family was. Instead, I made a name for myself and created my own family. I had believed up until this point that I would never see my parents again, that we would never reunite. I don't remember a lot about them, except that they didn't love me enough to take care of me, to protect me from the dangers of the outside world. I put all of this behind me when I awoke one morning.

I had believed that this would be an ordinary day in the nation of Pais. Wake up, work with the blacksmith, go home, eat, and go to bed. That's how it had always been and how it would be forever ever. That's what I'd thought. I arrived to the blacksmith on time and was greeted by the older, graying mustachioed gentleman sharpening a piece of iron. He forgot who I was at least once a week and it always fascinated me how he had never forgotten how to work. "Anything I can help you with, lad?"

"I work here, sir. Don't you remember me?"

He paused, tugging slightly at his mustache. "Hmm...no, sorry. What's your name?"

"Marikal, sir."

His face lit up when I replied. "Ah, I see it now!" _Again._ "You're chipper this morning!" The blacksmith let out a slight chuckle.

"Anything you need help with?"

The blacksmith paused. "I finished with a recent order of iron swords to deliver to a group of Paisian mercenaries ten miles north of here."

"Would you like me to deliver them for you?"

He laughed heartily. "Ah, what ambitious youth! I remember when I used to run down the streets with my friends as the sun rose and set. I cannot run anymore, so I entrust the task to you. Be careful, though. The path is long and dangerous to be trekked alone. Please keep caution."

"I will. Thank you, sir." I assured, though I had no confidence in myself.

"Safe travels...uh..."

"Marikal."

The blacksmith chuckled once more. "Of course I know it's you! You didn't think I could forget that easily, did you?" With those parting words, he pointed me in the direction and I set off in what would become a pivotal point in my lifetime.

* * *

I approached the end of the town and stared at the long and winding cobblestone path that stared back at me in the early morning. I knew nothing else except for what the blacksmith had told me. I decided to look at the swords encased in their sheathes as I began my journey. Attached to one of the swords was a folded piece of parchment. Curious, I opened the paper and absorbed its message, but it had no words. It was a map of the path indicating the destination with an X to the left of the path. "Bless you," I thought to myself as I held the paper close to me. I had the map guide my every step, for it would not be useful for too long.

I had decided to tackle the path in a light jog. Minutes felt like hours and hours felt like centuries to my stamina (or lack of). The sun was still rising and so was my heart rate. I had to pause multiple times during the trek to rest and catch my breath. "Why must I have as many muscles as a sponge?" I thought to myself in between gasps.

About noon time, I approached a long straightaway and my thoughts had dried up any entertainment I had. I imagined what it would be like to fight alongside an army for your country, to be a trained solider. I imagined clashing blades with an enemy until my sword pierced their flesh, killing them in one blow. Naturally, everything is perfect in a fantasy. If the same battle were reality, the fatal blow would have been on me, for I had never wielded a sword before. If I was ambushed by a thief or a bandit, I had planned on using one of the swords to be delivered to the Paisian mercenaries for defense, I was sure they wouldn't have minded. The skirmish would have been anything but glamorous. It would mostly consist of me swinging the sword uncontrollably until they decided to abandon their plan of attacking me. It would save me from embarrassing myself in combat.

About an hour later, I approached a densely wooded area surrounded both sides of the path. "This must be the dangerous part of the road the blacksmith was talking about." I took a deep breath and ran into the woods. Sunlight barely escaped through the leaves overhead, so it was slightly more difficult to see where I was headed. Staying vigilant, I slowed down to take note of my surroundings. That's when I heard a slight pinging noise. "Must be hearing things..." I shrugged it off. A second later, a louder one. I ignored it a second time. Right on pattern, I heard a loud pinging noise that sounded like steel meeting steel. I paused, and my instinct controlled my legs. Despite the burning sensation of having no muscle mass to speak of, I ran as fast as I could to the end of the woods.

* * *

The path lead me to a large grassy field where I could see the source of the pinging noise. It truly was steel meeting steel. A battle was taking place before my very eyes, but they seemed to not be between armies. There were only four, five people on the field. The two men dueling wielded swords, one held some sort of rod, another an axe, and the last one was asleep nearby. I debated whether to help or not. I couldn't tell who was an ally or who was an enemy. I checked my map to see that they were dueling where the swords I carried were to be delivered! Ecstatic, I ran across the field to their location, waving my arms around to get their attention, but I did not get the attention I had hoped for.


	2. Chapter 1: All Steel Kills the Same

Swords Clashed, Paths Crossed

Chapter 1: All Steel Kills the Same

I rushed to the scene of the battle, equipping myself with one of the swords. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me fueled by adrenaline and testosterone. This was not one of my brighter ideas, not that I've had many to compare with. The duelers paused their skirmish, stared at each other, nodded in silence, and turned towards me, side-by-side. Then the realization hit me harder than any sword ever could. I believed I was about to test that theory; the fighters thought I was an assassin, a very pathetic assassin. Both of the men were of larger builds than I, so I stopped dead in my tracks about 10 paces in front of them.

Both men were in their early twenties and wore stern looks, not budging a muscle. The man on the left say slightly taller than me, about five foot nine inches, I would say. He had jet black hair parted every which way and brown eyes. The man next to him had blue hair that was much more well-kept than the other man's. He was slightly shorter, about five foot seven inches.

The man with jet black hair pointed his sword at me, not moving a facial muscle. "Who goes there? State your name or have my blade speak the words you do not." The companions of the two men retreated into the tents.

"M-Marikal, sir." I hesitated, fear stalling my reactions.

"Are you a threat to the nation of Pais?"

"No, sir."

The dark-haired man pondered this for a moment until the blue-haired man whispered something to him and nodded. "OK, we can trust you for now. What business brings you here?"

I was thankful for every god imaginable that I had lived long enough to answer his question. They seemed like skilled fighters and someone with half the skills of one of the men could easily trump me. I had no chance against two of them. "I come bearing an order for the Paisian Mercenaries. Did you order two handcrafted swords?"

The dark-haired man had a puzzled look on his face. "You seem young to be a blacksmith."

"Oh, I didn't make these, sir. I only work there."

"I see. Have you ever wielded a sword befo-oh shit."

"What is it, Jet?" The blue-haired man said.

The man shouted to the tents behind him. "We've got company! Look alive everyone!" I turned around to see no organic creature I've ever seen before. There were five dark-purple gelatinous-like monsters that gave off a grim, hazy aura.

I stood and stared, awestruck. "W-What are those things?"

"They're monsters that rise from graveyards to satisfy their craving for living flesh." Jet explained. He turned to me. "You ever wield a sword before?"

"Uh..no?" I cringed at what his answer might be.

"Well, you're about to start practicing. Unsheathe one of those and fight with us."

"W-Who, me? I've never killed anyone before..."

"Don't worry, you can't kill anything that's already dead." Jet stood in a battle position with his own sword, much fancier and durable than the flimsy blades I carried (I doubted that they could tear a hole in a piece of parchment).The man standing next to Jet also readied himself. I had no choice but to join them.

By this point, the five monsters had made their slow (that cannot be emphasized enough) journey to within striking distance. I mentally prepared myself as best I could, despite the hell demon right in front of me. Jet worded it better than any dictionary ever could: "Let's send these bastards back to the Hell they came from!"

I nodded and ran to strike before the monster could damage me first. I wound back and unleashed the hardest strike I could. The blade cut through the demon, but did not phase it. It seemed completely unaffected. "Well fuck." The monster countered (slowly) with a headbutt. Wearing no armor, I had nothing to protect myself except the clothes on my back, so my body took the whole impact of the blow. "That could have gone much better.." I thought to myself. "Hey, at least I hit my target."

Jet shouted from another end of the battlefield "Marikal, focus!" _Right, focus. __I can do this. _I slashed at the enemy before me once again. As my sword left its body, it disintegrated and seeped into the ground where it stood before. "I-I got one!" I was elated, defeating my first enemy made me feel like a stronger man, a better man. Not by much, but it's a start.

I turned to see that two others had been defeated. I stood in awe as Jet and the his companion battled the demonic creatures with their obviously honed swordplay. "Hey, quit dawdling and resume stabbing" Jet shouted as he plunged his sword into another creature, destroying it. I turned my attention to Jet's companion fighting the fourth one and it seemed to be gaining an advantage, so I rushed to his aid. The little support and strength I could provide, I would. He looked me in the eyes and we nodded at the same time. In unison, we plunged our swords into the gelatinous villain, forcing it back into the ground with the others that had been eliminated.

There, the three humans stood against one final blob-like creature. If there had to be a leader amongst the group, it was this final one. Its purple gradient was darker than the others and the aura it gave off was also a slightly different shade. The supposed leader released a blood-curdling screech. I shivered slightly, though Jet and his companion seemed completely unperturbed, as if they had heard it infinite times before. At this point, I was truly curious how their lives were before this day.

"Any battle strategy, tactician?" I asked, smirking. _My first battle and I'm already making snarky comments._

"Watch it, wise guy." Jet replied with a smile.

"Heh, sorry. Seriously though, any ideas?"

"I suppose we could each attack it from one angle."

"Understood." I took a deep breath, shouted a battle cry (it sounded cooler in my head), and lunged my sword at it. "May your death be quick and painless!" My strike was less than stellar, It didn't seem to do any substancial amount of damage.

Jet tried to hold back a laugh. "Uh...it's already dead. Did you not see it rise from the ground?"

"Who's the wise guy now?" I couldn't help myself. I had to laugh. _Stop laughing and start stabbing, you twit._

Jet followed suit, with a slightly cooler catchphrase and a much stronger attack. "Your time has run dry!" The demon blob leader was pushed back from recoil. _Good, we seem to be damaging it._

His companion slashed at the leader himself next, his blue hair flowing in the short running breeze. His strike also did heavy damage, albeit without a catchphrase to say (I'm going to be honest, he let me down on that one. I expected him to be the person to have the coolest phrase to utter). At that moment, his sword shattered onto the leader, shrapnel flying every conceivable direction. I tried to block as many as I could, but most of the pieces that hit my pierced my shoulder. I watched as the first few drops of blood seeped my shirt. I had a sudden feeling that there would be many more drops to join the first ones.

The shattered sword's handle stuck in where I would suspect the heart of the leader would be, assuming it has one (if it does, it's likely rotten to the core). It paused and stared at the sword with its large eyes, before letting out one final screech (it did not sound more pleasant with experience). As it screamed, it slowly seeped into the ground with the rest of its cohorts. I had but one thought rush through my mind at this moment: we did it. My first victory, but I certainly didn't want to get ahead of myself. I had much to learn, many places to go, and many people to meet, albeit not all of them pleasant.

* * *

Original Character Form (Note: I may slightly edit applications)

Name: (generally not a common name, and occasionally uses apostrophes)

Age: (Give me a rough estimate)

Physical Appearance: Hair color? Height? Hair style?

Personality: Quiet, loud? Shy, outgoing?

Wields: Swords, Lances, Axes, Staves, or Tomes?

Base Class: [see Fire Emblem Wiki]

Accent: How do they speak? (I don't mean dialects, more like simplistic or complex words, et cetera).

Other: Anything that you would like to add that doesn't fit any of the categories above?


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